Dead West: Hallows of Decay

Dead West #3

by J. Patrick Allen

Doctor Quillburn's Miracle Panacea Conquer Cholera ~ Bushwhack Buboes ~ War Upon Wasting! A traveling alchemist, a ruined town, and below it all a dreaming god Everyone brought something from the old country. Grandfather's watch, and grandmother's china' great-grandfather's folklore, and great-great-grandmother's fairy tales. What is never discussed, however, are the undying characters of nix and fairy, goblin and vampire, dragon and eldritch things who all came to America's shores in time with the rhyme of their tales. The Knights of Charlotte hunt those things, ensuring what came from the dark stays in the dark.Two of their knights, Samuel and Charlie, approach the tiny town of Silverton. It's in a precarious position. A cult worships out in the dead mine, approaching town only to proselytize the town, by force if necessary. Its inhuman aid, the Seraphs, prove nearly impossible to kill. Even for Knights of Charlotte. As the siege of Silverton devolves into chaos, Charlie is cast into a phantom world where everything he's learned so far seems useless. Unable to navigate, eat, or communicate with another living being, he's still the best hope for survival.Elsewhere, something ancient slumbers. Dead Hallows of Decay picks up where Bond of Blood and the rest of J Patrick Allen's award-winning Dead West series left off.

237 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 8, 2018

Reviews

[Casey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first Dead West book I read, and I'm going back to read the others. That's how much I like it. It was easy enough to pick up the storyline, but I definitely wish I'd read the first two beforehand. Don't make the same mistake I did, since the series as a whole is quite affordable anyway.

Hallows of Decay comes in at around only 230 pages, but I found myself caring quite a bit about the main characters, despite the length and having not read the previous two books. The characters are fully fleshed-out, playing on tropes and turning them on their heads. Hallows of Decay's true strength lies in the plot itself: gorgeously dark and fantastical, never contrived, a bit of fun pulp in there.

[R. Tillsley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic adventure.

I was immediately drawn into Charlie's story as he and his partner-mentor-boss, Samuel, investigate the strange happenings in a distant mining town. The author brought me into the world from the first page and I loved the Lovecraft/urban fantasy elements, a great mix that freshens the wild west setting. The pacing is strong, the story exciting and the descriptions are vivid. I particularly liked the 'snake oil' salesman, Dr. Quillburn, and the seraphs would be the stars in a gruesome movie adaptation. I wholeheartedly recommend this one — a must read.